Campground · Waterton Lakes National Park
Two backcountry lakes, a wildflower meadow, and a hike-in camp.
Overview
Twin Lakes is a pair of backcountry lakes in Waterton's mountain interior, with a designated overnight campground. On the Snowshoe approach, Upper Twin Lake comes first and Lower Twin Lake lies just beyond; wildflower meadows surround both. It's a hike-in destination for backpackers or hikers with a full day, not a quick drive-up stop.
Parkwolf’s verdictA pair of lakes worth the hikeMap
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Waterton Lakes Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Waterton Lakes National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Waterton Lakes audio tourRecorded for this place
Red Rock Canyon“You’re coming up on Red Rock Canyon, where a creek cuts through red and green rock. This is a good stop for a close look at the landscape without a long hike.”
Plays as you drive up to Twin Lakes in the Parkwolf Waterton Lakes Tour Guide.
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
You can approach from the Snowshoe corridor or Blakiston Valley. The distance depends on the route and starting point, so use trail details for your chosen approach rather than carrying over a mileage figure for a nearby campground. Treat an out-and-back as a substantial day hike, or make Twin Lakes part of an overnight trip; there is no road access.
The draw is the pair of lakes and surrounding meadows, with Beargrass in season. For a photo, include meadow or rocky shore in front of the lakes to give the view a sense of scale. The backcountry camp has pit toilets, tent pads, food-storage bins and picnic tables. Bring a stove and food; water from natural sources needs treatment or boiling, and overnight camping requires a backcountry permit and reservation. Campfires aren't allowed at Twin Lakes.
Wildlife
83 sightingsBisonMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
563 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
146 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
113 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
55 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
53 sightingsTrumpeter SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Waterton Lakes. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
Campground · 2.5 km awaySnowshoe Backcountry CampgroundA planned overnight base for Waterton's backcountry trail junctions.
Campground · 5.2 km awayLone Lake CampgroundA hike-in lakeshore camp with corrals for up to eight horses.
Campground · 5.7 km awayGoat LakeCliff-ringed lake at the end of a steep, hard-earned hike.Parkwolf’s Waterton Lakes ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
